July tag of 2013 and some good news

I found out at the beginning of the month I'm the winner and runner up of Visible Images June Challenge: Character. Hence the new blinkie badge my prize was the choose of any clear stamps for £10 which is basically 2 stamps. Due to the random selection of winner and runner up anyone can win except for Craftstamper magazine the standards are so high. In all it is important to do your best in everything you do. Tim Holtz is launching a new load if idea-ology plus stencils I'm having trouble trying to keep up. Only joking I only choose the stuff I actually want so for July's Tag of 2003 this is my creation:

The technique was using a brayer and distress ink I barely glanced at the post so the result was make it up as I go along. Grunge board with Rock Candy crackle paint, I was little impatient with drying and rushed the process with the heat gun. Ideally it should be left for day or more but I don't get free 'quiet' slot at the kitchen table till 7pm sometimes later. A half a day is wasted through waiting and with this heatwave, crafting is difficult. My intention was make something which celebrated Handover day in Hong Kong but ended up different and random. Mistakes can be turned into something wonderful. Distress Stains were dabbed in the cracks, I made my own tissue tape as ideo-ology range is so expensive, you can use washi tape instead.
Didn't have simple saying in my collection a stamped text on vial labels works as fine, most of stamps are PaperArtsy except for the Aztec Sun which is GCS(Great Canadian Stamp). For embellishments I used Muse token attached to crinkle ribbon with mini safety pin and metal charm (not idea-ology). Grunge board is strange as it smells like new shoes, very rubber and meant to be  altered as it doesn't lie flat. Element range is hard to find I end up buying and Mini safety pin might be discontinued. Some places still sell them if you know where to look.

These are the stamps I've chosen and don't know if I have time to make something for Visible Image's July challenge.

I've discovered something new this month it's called Smash book, all it's really is sticking stuff on pages. K & Company sell these Smash book which is spiral bound and has lots of coloured pages plus there are numerous accessories. It's like what I have to spend money on a new idea when I have been doing this kind thing for years since about 2000 when I was studying Foundation Art and Design it was called Visual Diary and brought on by Dan Eldon. I did buy a doodles smash book and few stuff from Amazon, at the moment I'm using Walls Journal Notebook due the fact it becoming annoying trying to align the writing. More details on 'smashing' will later I have stuff to right now.

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My take on Tim Holtz's June Tag of 2013

Watercolours are not my kind of thing because I find them hard to manipulate the colours and prefer to use acrylics. This month's tag is quite a challenge for me the end result is not that bad and I figured out how to get even coverage of colours in the non wrinkle technique.

June's tag involves the use of Distress Markers and the use of an auto wet brush basically to blend and mix colours. This is my second attempt I was worried because the layers of colours wasn't blending immediately only realising later it's one those time delay effects. Hard to see what the actual colours he was using I used Rusty Hinge, Fired Brick, Faded Jeans, Broken China and Pumice Stone.
Distress Inks- Walnut Stain was used to darken the edges.
For the non wrinkle blend involved the use of 3 different Distress range mediums Paint- Broken China, Ink-Dusty Concord and Stains-Wild Honey. The key is not to mix the colours too much but can be layered. Tim left out details on what to add to crinkle ribbon to finish off the tag I used a mixture of Distress Paint- Broken China and Stains- Wild Honey and Scatter straw.
The Background rubber stamped I used PSX, Paperartsy and Stampers' Anonymous 6 to show that June is the 6th month in the year.

What I do with the monthly challenges projects I displayed them in my unfinished Artist's Shrine. More of building site really and the penguin needs to completed. Tim's tag was completed very quickly and spend the rest of evening playing with Oscar the hamster. He was on the gnawing mission last night and made arched doorway on the loo roll. Maybe I'll include more of his creations.

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My take on Tim Holtz configuration boxes

It started with matchboxes shrines and then I thought I could combine several to make shadow boxes with different compartments. I was influence by Tim Holtz idea-ology configuration boxes but these are so hard to get and on most sites only book cover type is available. There's one place I can still try Sir Stampalot I used to buy wood mounted rubber stamps and Magenta pewter stickers.

Configuration boxes are also expensive it would be cheaper to make my own after all I've done a lot of paper crafting in the past (assembling papermodels). I started with 9 matchbox layout and changed so that I could smaller shapes and these can be rearranged. Each box is made out of Paper stacks- Lost and Found with left over sheet from K and Company. It helps to check the stuff in clearance shelves for more bargain goodness. I realised I could of drew the layout in PaintShopPro or DTP along with the individual boxes and print directly on the paper. The good think about idea-ology paper stash is the other side is plain.
I certainly I won't buy the crap from Create and Craft they are so bland and also p and p builds up with each item added to basket. The presenters act like complete noobs, well any way shadow boxes are like 3D scrapbook or collage- assemblage and great way of displaying mementos.
The trouble is I have to deal with no only tiredness, but excessive noise and idiots who won't watch in tv in silence and have volume turned on full blast. Looks like I going have to invest in noise cancelling headphone at least I won't have to hear the spite comments and devil worshipping crap.
I feel a day is wasted if I don't make something.

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May tag of 2013

I haven't had much energy last week and even this week is a struggle. I'm forced to wake up early before 8am and endure hours of noise as work is done on the bathroom. I find my falling asleep in front of tv and there is no where quiet for me to go. Some how found some energy to make this month's Tim Holtz's tag of 2013 challenge. I know he would use remnant rubs in one of the monthly tags so I already brought 2 already Numbers and Element but wasn't able to get Words. Don't really need it. As I used Stampers' anonymous CMS110 Stuff to say and mix and matched a few items I have in stash. Other stamps I used are Paperartsy and Lost Coast Designs.

The tricky part is trying to get all part of 4 Distress stains colours on one tag as on my trial I couldn't get all the colours to balance on one sheet. You can dab a little and spritz to blend. The texture hammer is difficult to buy and maybe discontinued luckily there is a site which still sells the tool. Country View Crafts and they sell other Tim Holtz's products much cheaper.
There's still February tag yet to complete and would like to give their monthly challenge a try. The title is called 'How does your Garden grow' and any style and medium. There's a set of Paperartsy stamps I would like to try out maybe make another card again. We'll see I have lots of mailart to sort out and trying to survive this week. I just hope work on bathroom will be completed soon.

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April tag of 2013

Here is my interpretation of Tim Holtz tag for April. Yes I know it's almost a blatant copy but I used different elements and managed to nab some material before they were out of stock.
Luckily that's crafty  sells majority of items for anyone wanting to attempt Tim's challenge.
Local hobbycraft store stock some not much.

 I used metal charms- Philosophy tags, foliage, game spinner and word tags and did some improvisation with tissue tape and cut out my own 4. I wondered why the number than thought April is the fourth month in the year. Art Parts modelling film is thicker than shrink plastic and tricky to use since not used to this new media but I have future uses for this material.
At the beginning of the month metallic Distress paint weren't available I shop on artist trading post as well as they have more extensive range or products. They don't sell idea-ology 8 I have Tim Holtz's app and added the stuff I want to the wishlist. Still think washi tape is stronger and cheaper than tissue tape. I'm spending a fortune on one project and never wanted to get Distress Paints if you have Paint dabbler than don't need these. Almost finished with the palettes actually in the future I'm going to use whatever in stash unless really have to buy these items. Idea-ology and Distress is really expensive there's other I could of brought like Paperartsy, 7 Gypsies and other antiqued metal embellishments.
It's just I notice the ones which were selected resembled what Tim created. Would be nice if my tag was selected I'm not bothered anymore. Art can be made with few simple items but I'm an eclectic artist crafter. On 2012 monthly tags I thought he would do something special like in his Compendium of Curiosities. Besides I have to play catch up with February I will make 2 as one of them is going to have to be celebration of Chinese Lunar New Year. Snakes are cool.

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Free time after 2 weeks of studying

Whenever I update my blog I first have to update my flickr photostream as well after filling in the descriptions its exhausting. I was off for 2 weeks on study learning about customer service and First Aid and had little time to do my posting which is steadily building up. In the free time I did have I managed to make some atcs and few of these.

My tags were chosen at all not be let down I started again and focused to making tags for January. My first tag ends up being too dark even though there's nothing wrong with it. Focusing what the month meant new year, winter and fresh start. Checking back on Tim's previous monthly tag I noticed he used Distress stains Picket Fence along side another colour and gave me an idea.
I used broken china as the additional colour and darken with Distress ink- faded jeans and added some peeled paint. After tinting up the wings I added some stickles it's best to squeeze a blob on craft mat or catalogue in my case and using a your finger to rub some glue on then dry using the heat it tool. If you are careful the inkjet printed image won't smudge as much. Collected some scraps and add them on numbers stamp from fairytale frenzy work great when stamped in forest moss and little outline for extra touch. Most of time I'm staring at the tag what to add because less is more. Chitchat stickers are useful to create your own pearls of wisdom but hard to choose from all those text. As there is no word for 'new' then I thought of what it represents. New day is like blank page in journal ready to filled and life can be one big journey or adventure for the soul. I've finally acquired some crinkle ribbon to finish off the tag, these work best if the ribbon is scrunched and up after colouring and dried under the heat it tool. All done I hope only use one tag for April when rest of materials arrives so expensive buying all of stuff for monthly tag in future I'll use what I have already only buy if necessary. Here is are ones created so far.

Altered this a while ago it's a holder for moo cards and was rather plain I had no idea how to decorate it so as when I brought hot fix tool I used sample gems and stuck them on felt and added charms and clasp. Now attached to my bag.

I've been looking at matchbox shrines for while when I was still studying on the course, there's one discussed by Arttrader magazine and thought to give it a try. On one boring Sunday I was making 9 matchboxes unfortunately I was sick in the evening probably something I ate, a knock on head can cause it well I did bang my head and felt some pain.

This the inside view it's better if the elements were positioned so it resembles a scene. I have collected some much 'stuff' over the years and majority of don't fit. Oh well use a bigger matchbox next time.

I discovered when I was making the matchbox shrine it crosses over with my jewellery making skills. The whole process feels like assemblage not just a collaging a great way to use bit of scrap. I was over the top with the wings, majority of matchboxes I've seen uses butterfly wings why not bird or bat. If you have wings than fly.

I have a lot of clay elements which are too fragile to be used as jewellery, tags and shadow boxes might be useful. It takes 2 days to complete, 1 day for sanding and painting and another for layering of varnishing. I was partly influenced by the configurations these cost money but buy something you can make already it takes a little time.

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Why patience is a virtue

It pays to be patience well after I submitted my work to March tag of 2013 I've the noticed the colours of the tags were washed out and not bright compared to other tags. Once again technology has let me down if it's not a tablet it's the camera on the smart phone. You always take pictures using a digital camera in best light as possible. So I tried again this morning its still raining.

This is what the tags suppose to look like and colours are brighter and details are more clearer.

'Light' version I used one of floral imagery from Paper stash- Lost and Found as background and sanded it as suggested on Tim's tag. From the same collection I used rabbit card and distress the edges with Walnut Stain. It may not be clear but flourish masks were used for reversing masking along with Peeled paint, further colours were added Faded Jeans and Ripe Pesimmons.
Great thing about Idea-ology Paper stash is they have reversible distressed colours on the back each sheet. There wasn't anything suitable in coloured papers in my stash so I used a scrap from leftover projects, stamped border motif from Stamper Anonymous- Mini Ornates glued this on thin cardboard (Don't have grungeboard as yet) using glue and seal medium (this comes with handy brush).
I discovered an iron is useful in speeding up the drying time of the glue. Next I cut out circular shape, I don't have any Sizziz dies or even die cutting machine because feel there is no use for one all my cutting is my hand. Used to it because of other papercraft as in assembing paper models.
Stamped writing on several scrap of distressed paper scraps carefully drew floral motifs based on mini floret masks and used Shabby Shutters stickles, once this dried I cut the shapes out and fix them on tag using small brads, Dogwood flowers and beads were added too (From Beadery). Finally added stamped letters (Rubberstampede alphabet set), Stampendous peel offs and die cut motifs.
This tag is second attempt and more carefully planned I used the one below as guide.

I call this 'Dark' version as in more earthly tones were used. The tag was coloured using no wrinkle distressing technique with various colours- Spiced Marmalade, Crushed Olives and Forest Moss. I used Idea-ology Mini Florets masks and rubbed Walnut Stain, stamped various motif from Stamper Anonymous- Mini Ornates, Stampingbella- Bubble wrap in Peeled Paint and Ripe Persimmons. An image of rabbit (Animal Illustration by Dover publications) was added and made a small frame and flower using stamps using the same way as explained from above. The edges were darkened with Walnut Stain and added labels using Dovecraft mini alphabets with some accents using Distress Stickles.
It's too late to replace the photos with the new one I took, I'm tired in fact hadn't slept well for a week now. Sometimes there's too many ideas flowing inside my head or other people are annoying me with excess noise or being general nuisance. Hope to make a few changes to both blogs when I'm back ideally should be update the blog first and then flickr photostream. May this a lesson to take pictures of work in best light conditions as possible.

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TAG- now you're it

I have been busy not with cross stitch but organizing all my stuff together but sadly I'm still stuck in same situation I was last year without a permanent workspace. The ideal place for stamping is on the kitchen table lit under daylight I have LEDs daylight simulation lamp pity the batteries last long.
After reading Tim Holtz blog, watching his youtube videos and reading his Compendium of Curiosities I felt inspired to make tags for this month. I made two because wasn't happy with the first attempt never thought of making tags don't see their purpose.
For March: tag of 2013 I will submit them both they are part of set. 

First one I call Dark (because I used earthtones) and the other is Light. They both talk to each and have similar styles. My tags bare no resemble to Tim's because don't have sizzix or use the idea-ology materials I find it's best to make something more of your style like own personal interpretation of the project. 

Picture quality is not good as I've take this on my smart phone ideally I would take a picture using my digital camera in good daylight one thing in the UK it always rains and rains some more.
Much of what I used is explain in my flickr photostream I find it's good to have a source of vintage royality free images the rabbit is from Dover books.

See the colours are more subtle or could be because of poor light conditions. I'm not going to wait till tomorrow to do this why not now. Actually, last week I wanted to make stuff but couldn't because unsuitable condition it's too noisy and the table wasn't free. So I said to myself stop waiting and start doing. This was finished when first half ended of England vs San Marino match.

Here's another tag I made this is for second monthly swap of new yahoo group I've joined. Actually take on ATC I once made for Blue theme swap.

I was giving crushed jewels techniques to try and didn't realise you can add glitter, embossing powder, shaved ice at the same time. Oh well it pays to follow the instructions very carefully.
Okay I admit I went on a spending spree on buying Distress Inks, Stains and idea-ology finding will was for ATC swap now I have more variety for other things. I'm interested in making shadow boxes or personal shrines been a while since last made one. Well I have to find a way to use Paper stash pad I should really stop there's still more Stains and idea-ology, Stamper anonymous stamps to get but they are so expensive. Mini ornates cost £24.99 and you can't just have one.
No seriously I have to stop buying craft materials plus there's unfinished projects to do. There's further news from this post.

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